Dave Cahill wrote:blues_fan wrote:
So you are telling me the only way to reply to my objection, is to further enlarge the conspiracy to encompass the whole IRB now? So then explain why it is only the internet posters who can see this and why every other Union isn't in active revolt against the IRB/NZRU nexus, for perpetuating such an unfair system? Will you not have to enlarge the conspiracy even further? Won't it get to a point where the conspiracy is so further enlarged, that only a few hardy souls such as yourselves are the only ones not involved? Don't you think by that time, a better and simpler explanation may in fact be more accurate?
Nah, it makes far more sense to believe that everybody at an official level in every International Board member in the world is involved in a conspiracy to create a regulatory environment that will suit the very small not particularly well off market that is New Zealand than it does to come to the conclusion that Richie McCaw and his team mates are actually quite good.
I've been thinking about this for a while. So, here are a couple of points:
1. I don't believe Paddy O'Brien or the IRB have a vast global conspiracy in place for the benefit of NZ.
2. However, I do believe the IRB have a blindspot when it comes to some aspects of NZ and this allows the possiblilty of doubt to arise in peoples' minds. Specifically, I am talking about the haka. I'm sure it has been discussed to death elswhere, but a couple of salient points-
The timing of the haka
after the national anthems is a clear advantage to the All Blacks (how much of an advantage is debatable, but the strop they threw when Wales threatened to reverse the anthem/haka sequence spoke volumes about the advantage they believe it confers).
The neutering of opposition responses to the haka is a disgraceful development in the game. Many of you will be aware that the Wallaroos (Australian womens rugby team) were fined for collectively approaching the haka recently and that this is now part of IRB policy throughout the game
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union ... 153c9.html. This is frankly sickening- one team is allowed to issue a challenge, but the other team cannot respond as they see fit. Now the key question is- if the Australians (or anyone else) did the same thing while the Tongans were doing their Sipi Tau, or the Samoans with their Manu Siva Tau (both haka type challenges), would the IRB issue fines? Of course not.
This is all about Brand All Black being "protected" by the IRB- the haka being the embodiment of the team most people in the world know about, even people who don't follow rugby.
I believe the IRB is on shaky ground when it adopts this kind of protectionism- it certainly allows the neutral to believe that some national teams are more important than others. When the likes of McCaw then gets away (brilliantly) with outrageous lawbreaking, the moral authority of the IRB as the regulator of the game is compromised in my opinion.
As an aside, growing up, I used to love the haka- now I look at it like it is some corporate sponsored "entertainment" that delays the kick off. Sad really. People should also remember that the haka that is done now is a completely different beast to previous years. Check out this comedy gold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emJyEa4z ... re=related
How could you compete against such a stirring war dance